Lift Your Spirits on Canada Creek

Brookie: Plenty of 8 to 10 inchers to lift your spirits.Nothing lifts one’s fly fishing spirits faster than a creek full of voracious and feisty brook trout. That’s for sure. The trouble with brook trout, is that they often inhabit creeks that are unmanageable by fly-rodders. If YOU need your spirits lifted, a little solitude, AND you want room to make a back cast, try Canada Creek.

Located mostly in southwest Presque Isle County, the Canada is a feeder creek to the brook-trout-renowned Black River. Michigan’s “Blue Ribbon Trout Stream” designation starts at the junction of Montague Creek (Montmorency County), and extends downstream to where Canada Creek crosses from Presque Isle into Cheboygan County. That portion that runs through Presque Isle County is almost exclusively on State-owned land. With a good county map, access is fairly easy. Canada River Road (Canada Highway) and county road 634 are good starting points.

Canada Creek: Casting straight upstream, the tag alder doesn't come into play.As far as “creeks” go, it’s pretty fair in size. For the most part, expect 25 to 30 feet in width, with a main thread running knee deep to waist deep levels. The current runs slow to moderate over a sandy bottom, with deeper holes on many of the outside bends.
Wading is trouble-free except for children and those adults who remain oblivious to the implications of dark water. The deepest holes are easy to spot and avoid, but don’t bring a youngster to Canada Creek.

You’ll encounter pockets of wood debris on the sandy bottom. Don’t pass these up without drifting a dry fly over the top first. The darker (deep) water, undercut banks and wood debris are all prime locations to ambush a brookie. Canada Creek supports a very healthy population of 8 to 10 inch brook trout. And, a 12 to 14-inch specimen is not out of the question.

For the most part, you’ll be casting directly upstream, aiming for those three specific targets just mentioned. Consequently, you won’t have to be too concerned about the tag alder brush that boxes in the stream bank. Classic (although short distance) fly casting is the norm Lime Trude: Brightly colored dry flies are the order of the day.on Canada Creek. If you can throw a dry fly 3 to 4 rod lengths, and have it land on top of your target, you will soon be hooked into a trout.

The creek is too narrow for effective streamer fishing. So, come to Canada Creek with dry flies and 5x tippet. The typical colorful assortment of brook trout flies will suffice: Lime Trudes and Hairwing Royal Coachmen in size 14 are all you’ll really need. But, if you’re like me, you’ll soon start switching up, just to see what else they are willing to grab. That’s part of the fun of brook trout fishing. Remember? We’re here to lift our fly fishing spirits.

Hope you feel better soon.